This maple tahini glazed cauliflower is the simplest side dish. It’s also seriously flavourful. I know we’ve all gotten on board with roasted cauliflower in the last 10 years or so. It really is so great! You get those golden and toasty edges and it can be popcorn-like. I can eat a whole head by myself if it’s seasoned nicely. But add a tahini glaze with lime and maple? Even better!

Maple and tahini is one of my favourite food combinations. I added lime juice for brightness and some chipotle powder for heat. Anyone that thinks vegetables are boring would be so pleasantly surprised by this.

MORE VEGAN HOLIDAY SIDES:

• Harvest Vegetable Mash with Roasted Garlic, Horseradish & Fried Dukkah
• Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Apples & Crunchy Rosemary Walnuts
• Loaded Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Pecan Crumble & Creamy Maple Mustard Dressing
• Sweet Potato Radicchio Salad with Roasted Shallot Dressing and Candied Pumpkin Seeds

I wanted to post a really simple, last minute kind of side dish for my American followers that may be preparing their scaled down Thanksgiving celebrations this week. You could make this maple tahini glazed cauliflower any time though! It would be delicious on a grain bowl, rolled up into a wrap, or in a hearty kale salad with a creamy ranch-style dressing.

One important thing to note with this recipe: this isn’t a crispy-crunchy cauliflower preparation. It’s super tender and the flavour is definitely roast-y, but the glaze keeps the whole vibe soft. I actually love making this as a weekly meal prep item because the glaze seems to seep into the cauliflower after a day or so. So good! When I cook with tahini, I always like to mention: my go-to brand is Soom.

I hope that you’re having a great week, staying safe, and looking after yourself! Big hug from me to you.

Maple Tahini Glazed Cauliflower with Chipotle

Maple tahini glazed cauliflower with chipotle is a simple, mega-flavourful side dish. Great for meal prep, grain bowls, and salads too!

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

CAULIFLOWER

• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into medium florets (a little over 3 lbs. cauliflower total) 1450 grams
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ teaspoon ground chipotle powder (use less if sensitive to spice)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

TAHINI MAPLE GLAZE

• 3 tablespoons tahini , well stirred and fluid
• 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons water, plus extra

TO SERVE

• ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Notes

• There is definitely some inspiration from Sprouted Kitchen’s beautiful tahini roasted cauliflower here!
• I suspect that any fluid and pourable nut/seed butter would substitute for the tahini. I’d go with something that has a mild flavour like raw almond or cashew. I think peanut butter might be good too.
• My go-to tahini is by Soom.
• This preparation of cauliflower is soft and tender! It’s not a crispy/crunchy texture or vibe at all. It’s just nice and toasty, spiced, tender, and lightly glazed.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place all of the cauliflower florets on the lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, chili flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the cauliflower and then toss with your hands to evenly coat all of the pieces.
• Spread the coated cauliflower out in a single layer on the baking sheet and then slide it into the oven. Set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the cauliflower from the oven and give it a toss with a spatula. Return the cauliflower to the oven for another 15 minutes.
• While the cauliflower is roasting for its last 15 minutes, make the tahini glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, maple syrup, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, add the water and slowly whisk it together (to avoid splashing) until combined. The resulting mixture should be fluid but thick, kind of like a creamy ranch-style salad dressing consistency.
• Once the cauliflower is done baking for the second increment of 15 minutes, it should be evenly deep golden brown on all sides and tender. Remove it from the oven and pour the tahini maple glaze over top. Using a spatula, carefully and quickly toss the cauliflower to evenly coat it in the glaze. Place it back in the oven for another 3 minutes or so, just to heat through.
• Top the glazed cauliflower with the chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately!

Author: Laura Wright

Course: Salad, Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Plant-Based, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: all seasons, cauliflower, chipotle, cilantro, fall, garlic, holiday entertaining, holidays, lime, maple syrup, parsley, tahini, winter